HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-02-04; Traffic Safety Commission; ; Investigate the need to install a stop sign on Contour Place at its intersection with Strata Drive( (
CITY OF CARLSBAD
TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION
STAFF REPORT
COMMISSION MEETING OF: February 4, 2008
LOCATION:
INITIATED BY:
Contour Place at Strata Drive
Associate Engineer, John Kim
ITEMNO. 6A
REQUESTED ACTION: Investigate the need to install a stop sign on Contour Place at its
intersection with Strata Drive.
BACKGROUND:
Contour Place intersects Strata Drive in a T-intersection configuration in a school zone
that is located in a residential area with Contour Place being considered the stem of the
T-intersection. Strata Drive is the top of the T. The intersection is currently uncontrolled.
DATA:
Contour Place and Strata Drive are both local streets located within the Calavera Hills
subdivision and both are unclassified on the Circulation Element of the General Plan.
These streets serve a residential neighborhood comprised of single-family homes.
Strata Drive provides access to and from Tamarack A venue while Contour Place is a
cul-de-sac having 18 single-family homes. On the north side of Strata Drive, directly
opposite of Contour Place, there is a publicly accessible concrete path that provides
access to both Calavera Hills Elementary School and Calavera Hills Middle School.
Exhibit 1 shows a map of the vicinity.
Staff recently received a citizen request for a painted crosswalk on Strata Drive at
Contour Place due to the amount of school pedestrians crossing Strata Drive during
school beginning and end times. As part of the studies conducted by staff, peak hour
vehicle/pedestrian counts indicated significant numbers of school pedestrians crossing
Strata Drive. Based on staff observations, pedestrians crossing either the west or east leg
of Strata Drive were dropped off by vehicles stopping on the southerly curb of
Strata Drive in the vicinity of Contour Place. Pedestrians were also dropped off on the
north side of Strata Drive, but they were not included in the counts since they did not
cross either Strata Drive or Contour Place. Table 1 shows the amount of pedestrians
observed crossing either leg of Strata Drive at Contour Place on November 8, 2007.
Table 1: Pedestrians Crossine Strata Drive at Contour Place
PeakHour, Adult , S:MlddleSchool Elemen.fary Total •
7:15 -8:15 a.m. 18 35 55 108
2:15 -3:15 p.m. 23 42 42 107
Based on staff observations, it was determined that a painted school crosswalk across
Strata Drive at Contour Place would designate the preferred pedestrian crossing.
The work to install the crosswalk includes a new pedestrian ramp on the north side of
Strata Drive to accommodate the disabled per ADA requirements and will be performed
by City forces in the near future as is not the subject of this staff report.
( (
CITY OF CARLSBAD
TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION
STAFF REPORT
COMMISSION MEETING OF: February 4, 2008
(continued)
ITEMNO. 6A
In order to assign the right-of-way at the proposed crosswalk, staff recommends that a
STOP sign be installed on Contour Place at Strata Drive to prevent potential violations of
the pedestrian right-of-way by left-turning vehicles from Contour Place. The California
MUTCD indicates that a stop sign should be considered at the "intersection of a less
important road with a main road where application of the normal right-of-way would not
be expected to provide reasonable compliance with the law." This would reinforce the
right-of-way assignment at the intersection and increase safety.
After a stop sign is established on Contour Place at Strata Drive, staff intends to install a
painted crosswalk across Contour Place to encourage pedestrians to use the marked
crosswalk across Strata Drive. Exhibit 2 shows the location of the proposed stop sign
as well as the future crosswalks.
Staff conducted a warrant analysis for an all-way stop at this intersection. None of the
warrants for an all-way stop were satisfied. Based on these results and staff observations,
stop signs for both directions on Strata Drive at Contour Place are not recommended at
this time. Staff will continue to monitor the situation after the proposed changes are
implemented.
RECOMMENDATION:
The Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee recommends the installation of a stop sign on
Contour Place at its intersection with Strata Drive.
NECESSARY CITY COUNCIL ACTION:
The City Council must adopt an ordinance to establish the stop control as recommended.
LOCATION MAP
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CALAVERA
ELEMENTARY
AND MIDDLE
SCHOOL
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. __ NOT TO SCALE {
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Proposed Stop Sign
Contour Place at Strata Drive
EXHIBIT 1 ~
1 i ! ___________________________ ....._ __ ___..c
FUTURE
PEDESTRIAN RAMP
FUTURE
CROSSWALK
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...J 0 0 ::r: ()
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B
DETAIL
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STRATA DRIVE
FUTURE
CROSSWALK
PROPOSED
STOP SIGN
@ !
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~ !
NOT TO SCALE s
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EXHIBIT { Proposed Stop Sign
Contour Place at Strata Drive 2 t ~ ____________________________ 1-, __ ..J.c